Tens of thousands of protesters gather in capital of Belarus for fourth week of daily demos
Protestors chant ‘Happy birthday you rat!’ at Belarus’ under-fire president Lukashenko as he turns 66 and gets offer from Putin to visit Moscow
- At least 100,000 rallied in Minsk on Sunday to demand the resignation of Lukashenko – the fourth week of protests since his dubious re-election on August 9 which has been condemned in western Europe
- Lukashenko, who has been in office since 1994, has been defiant but beleaguered, unable to put down the largest, most sustained wave of protests yet in this Eastern European nation of 9.5 million people
- Lukashenko claims he’s reached an agreement with Vladimir Putin that Russia will send in security help if asked. But Russia has appeared hesitant to get tangled to deeply in the unrest of its former Soviet enclave
By Ap
Published: 13:19 EDT, 30 August 2020 | Updated: 22:54 EDT, 30 August 2020
Tens of thousands of protesters have chanted ‘Happy birthday you rat!’ at Belarus’s under-fire President Alexander Lukashenko on his 66th birthday during the fourth week of demonstrations demanding his resignation.
At least 100,000 rallied at the ‘Hero City’ monument honouring Minsk’s suffering and resilience during the Second World War.
Lukashenko spent his birthday holed up in his residence in the capital where he was once again pictured wielding an assault rifle.
He received a call from Vladimir Putin who invited him to visit Moscow, a symbolic show of support from Russia in the face of EU sanctions and US disapproval of the dubious August 9 election result.
Nationwide demonstrations erupted over than 80% landslide over Lukashenko’s main challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a former teacher and the wife of a popular jailed blogger.
Lukashenko, who has been in office since 1994, has been defiant but beleaguered, unable to put down the largest, most sustained wave of protests yet in this Eastern European nation of 9.5 million people.
A Belarusian opposition supporter kneels in front of riot police officers during a protest in Independence Avenue in Minsk on Sunday
Maria Kolesnikova, one of Belarus’ opposition leaders, center, gestures, during a rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday
Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results near the Independence Palace in Minsk, Belarus on Sunday
Belarus woman lies on the ground and holds poster ‘I em not afraid’ in front of police during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus
Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results near the Independence Palace in Minsk
Police block the road during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus
Belarusian opposition supporters with old Belarusian national flags rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday
Belarus woman speaks with policemen during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus
Belarusian opposition supporters with an old Belarusian national flags march in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday
He has refused to rerun the election, which both the European Union and the United States have said was not free or fair, and refused offers from Baltic nations to help mediate the situation.
Mr Lukashenko says he has reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia will send in security help if asked. But Russia has appeared hesitant to get involved deeply in the Belarus unrest.
Mr Putin and Mr Lukashenko talked by phone on Sunday, but a Kremlin statement gave few details of the conversation, other than noting that Mr Putin had congratulated the Belarusian leader on his 66th birthday.
Ms Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after the election because of concerns about her security, gave a withering acknowledgement of the birthday.
Belarusian opposition supporters with an old Belarusian national flags march in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday
Riot police line block a street to protect against Belarusian opposition supporters rally in the center of Minsk, Belarus, Sunday
Riot police line up to block a street near Independence Square to protect against Belarusian opposition supporters rally in the center of Minsk, Belarus, Sunday
Belarus people attend a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk on Sunday
Belarus people attend a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk on Sunday
A woman holds a poster ‘Your 80 percent are painted with blood’ during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk on Sunday
Police stand behind a barbed wire as they block the road during a protest rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus, 30 August 2020
People rally against the results of the presidential elections, in Minsk, Belarus, 30 August 2020.
Speaking by telephone from the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, she said: ‘I wish him to overcome his fears, look truth in the eye, listen to the voice of the people and go away.’
Mr Lukashenko has consistently blamed Western countries for encouraging the protests, and contends that Nato is repositioning forces along Belarus’ western border with the aim of intervening in the unrest – a claim the alliance strongly denies.
The Belarusian Defence Ministry said on Sunday that it was conducting military exercises in the Grodno region, near the borders of Poland and Lithuania, simulating defending against an invasion.
GRODNO, BELARUS – AUGUST 30, 2020: A BTR-82 armored personnel carrier takes part in large-scale tactical drills in the Grodno area in western Belarus
Belarusian opposition supporters with old Belarusian national flags and a poster reading ‘Why haven’t the killers been arrested yet?’ rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020
Belarusian opposition supporters with old Belarusian national flags rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020
Belarusian opposition supporters with old Belarusian national flags rally in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020
In this video grab taken from a footage provided by Belsat TV via the Associated Press Television, riot police line block a street to protect against a Belarusian opposition supporters rally in the center of Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020
Belarusian opposition supporters with an old Belarusian national flags march in Minsk, Belarus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020
A woman smokes on a terrace of a luxury cafe in central Minsk, near barbed wire and riot police on August 23, 2020 in Minsk, Belarus
